Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

What is Sourdough Starter?

Sourdough starter is an established colony of wild yeast that can be used for baking. It adds a more complex flavor and texture and when you have your own, the sky is the limit.

We built starter from scratch by following the tutorials on the King Arthur Flour website but you can get sourdough starter from a family member, a friend, a generous bakery or you can even buy it on Amazon!

Starter is a living thing and needs to be fed regularly. We store ours in the refrigerator where it stays dormant until we are ready to use it.

When you feed sourdough starter, it gets very active and happy and rises to at least double it’s volume like in the picture above. This is what they refer to when they say that you should use it for baking at the time of or just past the “peak”.

How do you use Sourdough Starter?

We store our sourdough starter in the refrigerator so that it stays in a dormant state. For this recipe, we pull the starter out of the fridge in the morning and feed it with warm water and flour. About 4-6 hours after feeding, once doubled in volume, we can use it to create the dough.

Depending on how much starter you have, you may have to feed the starter a couple of times, adding flour and water each time, so that you have enough sourdough starter for the recipe. For Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread, you’ll need 100 g of sourdough starter. That’s about 1/2 cup.

We mark the amount of fed starter with an elastic band around the outside of the jar (picture above). We then keep an eye on it until it has doubled in volume and is bubbly and active (like the picture below). That’s how we know is ready to be used.

Preparing the starter for Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

Feed the sourdough starter in the morning. Once starter has at least doubled and then starts to fall (just past peak) you will make the dough. Typically this is 4-6 hours after feeding but depends on your starter and method.

This recipe calls for 100 grams of active starter (about 1/2 cup). The method that we use to ensure we have the right amount is to create a mixture with a ratio of 1:1:1. This means 50g of mature (established) starter, 50 g of warm water and 50 g of flour. Let it rise for 4-6 hours or until doubled.

We then use all but 50 grams, leaving just enough starter to feed again and put it back in the fridge to rest until next time.

What is a Dough Whisk?

A Dough Whisk, also known as a Danish Dough Whisk, is a kitchen tool that is sometimes debated by bakers as to usefulness and necessity. It is a simple and compact tool that helps to mix any type of stiff dough and it works really well with sourdough!

It has a thick wooden handle which is easy to hold on to and the mixing end is made of a strong thick wire that allows the whisk to cut through thick batters and dough and incorporate the dry ingredients quickly and efficiently. It is much easier than hand kneading and keeps your hands from getting all doughy and sticky.

Is having a dough whisk necessary? Absolutely not! But if you have room for one, we think it is a great tool! They are inexpensive, available on Amazon, and a great tool for baking.

How to make Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

Similar to store bought, Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough bread is sweet and flavorful. A ribbon of cinnamon sugar runs through the bread with a generous amount of tender raisins in every bite.

Hearty and tangy and absolutely delicious!

In a large bowl Combine the active sourdough starter, water, flour, and sea salt. Mix together with a dough whisk or a fork until it forms a shaggy dough.

Cover with a damp tea towel and allow it to rest for 45 minutes.

Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with water. Set aside and soak the raisins while the dough is resting. Drain the liquid off when ready to add.

This step is important because it plumps them up and ensures that the raisins stay soft and tender even after the bread has been baked.

After the dough has rested, drain the raisins and pat them dry with a paper towel. Add the raisins to the dough and perform stretch and folds on the dough for one minute.

Form the dough into a smooth ball, cover the bowl with the damp towel and allow the dough to rise for 6-8 hours until nearly doubled in size.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, stirring until completely mixed. Set aside.

Using your hands, remove the dough from the bowl and set it onto lightly floured surface. Generously spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Flatten the dough into a rectangle shape with the short edge no wider than the loaf pan that you are going to bake it in.

Spread the sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly over the top of the dough, almost to the edges but leaving a little space.

Starting at one short end of the dough, roll it up so that it fits into the prepared loaf pan and then set it into the pan.

Cover with plastic wrap that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Allow the dough to rise again for an additional 4-6 hours (or overnight) until it rises to the top of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and place the rack in the center. Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the bread from the oven and using a pastry brush, brush the top with butter.

Let the bread cool completely before slicing and then cut into slices using a serrated or electric knife.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container or a zip top bag. Enjoy!

other delicious bread recipes you may like

Jalapeno Cheese Sourdough Baguettes – One sourdough recipe transformed into two Jalapeno Cheese Sourdough Baguettes… a delicious twist that is perfect for sharing!

Same Day Sourdough Bread – Making traditional Sourdough Bread is not as hard as you think and this recipe allows you to make the dough and bake all in one day!

Cheddar-Dill Dutch Oven Bread – Easy to make bread with a great texture and a complex flavor.

Simple Homemade Pizza Dough – Simple and delicious – great in the oven or on the grill, just add your favorite fixins!

Jalapeno Cheddar Focaccia Bread – Flavorful Italian inspired bread gets kicked up a notch with the addition of cheddar cheese and spicy jalapenos. The perfect combination of yum.